


Fanganronpa: Live In The Name Of Despair

by Insane_but_smart



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Character Death, F/F, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Murder Mystery, Other, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane_but_smart/pseuds/Insane_but_smart
Summary: 16 students, 1 prison, and 1 clause for graduation:Kill someone without getting caught.Simple, right? Objectively, yes.Morally, however? It might just be the hardest thing to stomach.Join Sayuri Suki, the SHSL (???) as they attempt to recover what they’ve lost, and unveil the mystery that is Hope’s Peak Academy and its new Headmaster- Monokuma- in this fan-written killing game!
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue: Awaken In A Despairing World

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the semester of killing!  
> Enjoy your stay.

_...hello? Is this thing on…? _

A voice comes through the speakers on a radio.

_ I think it is. A- Alrighty.  _

_ I, uh, don’t know where I am. M- my name is-  _ There’s a burst of static before the recording continues.  _ -and I’m- w- we’re all t- trapped here. Please, I’m scared, I don’t think we’ll make it out, we’re all going to die here, so please, please send help. _

_ Please. _

The pleas fade away, and someone frowns. “Oh dear,” they mutter. “Well, we can’t have anyone finding this…”

There’s a low chuckle that turns into maniacal laughter as the radio is torn apart, the message it never got to send lost to time and space.

“I mean, really. Was I  _ that _ much of a fool?”

* * *

A child wakes up.

_ Where am I…? _

Strands of their long, light pink hair fall into their face.

_ Who…? What…? _

They look at their hands, flexing the fingers of each hand, before standing and brushing down the uniform they wear.

It looks like they’re in a room.

Like… a school?

But the windows are all…

They shake their head. That’s not important right now.

They push open the door before they hear a voice behind them. 

“H- hello? Is anybody there?”

It’s coming from… the closet?

Shaking their head, they reply “I’m here. Who are you?”

_ Who… _

_ Who am… I? _

_ I don’t even know my name… how I got here… this is a mess. _

“I- I’m T- Tamako Kohana? The SHSL B- Botanist?”

_ They know that name. _

_ Tamako Kohana, pronouns they/xem, agender, 5’1, and the SHSL Botanist.  _

_ Generally very shy, xey first discovered xeir passion for plants during an assigned science project at school. Xey can go on about facts about flowers, fruits, and hell, even some trees, for hours on end if you’re so inclined to listen. They tend to be covered in dirt due to their love for gardening.  _

“Ah, alright. Uh, hold on, I’m going to have to get the key to the closet really quick.”

They approach the desk, pulling open the drawer. There are several keys inside, and after trying most of them, they find a gold key that works.

Tamako stumbles out of the closet, their gardening apron almost getting caught in the door. “A- ah! T- thank yo- oh, wait, you never told me your name.”

_ Their name… _

_ Name… _

_ Starts with an S… _

**_Sayuri Suki._ **

“My name is Sayuri Suki.”

“Thank you, Sayuri!” Tamako smiles, and something tells them that this is a great achievement.

“You’re welcome, Tamako,” they reply. 

“T- this is Hope’s Peak, right? I remember being on the bullet train there, but then it all goes dark, s- so I can only presume…”

_ [Truth Bullet Collected:  _ **_Tamako’s Account_ **

_ Tamako attests that their last memories were on the bullet train, as they were on their way to Hope’s Peak.] _

Sayuri pauses. “I… don’t know. I… can’t remember anything. I think so?” they try, and Tamako shakes xeir head.

“O- oh. I thought that because this was Hope’s Peak, you also had a talent…”

“I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if I did and just couldn’t remember it. Maybe I do,” they say, smiling at xem. “I guess we’ll have to figure it out.”

“That’s fair,” Tamako murmurs to xemself. “Ah-! S- should we go look for more people? I mean, it’d be weird if we were the only ones here…”

“That sounds about right. Why not?”

And with that, they leave the room. 

  
  


_ I wonder if there are any other SHSLs here? _

_ If this is Hope’s Peak, as Tamako says, then perhaps there will be… well, there is no way to know for certain until we find someone else.  _

Some voices can be heard down the hall. 

“Do you hear that?” Sayuri asks, and Tamako nods. “More people?”

“Well, let’s go find out.” 

A pair of kids are stood in the hallway. Both of them look very similar (perhaps they’re related?), and both are trying to speak over each other. One presents female, and the other male.

“Akihiko, you can’t just-“

“Tanake, you know it’s-“

Sayuri clears their throat, and the pair of them look up. “Hello,” they start, unsure of what they just walked into, “Ah- I’m Sayuri Suki, and this is Tamako Kohana.” Tamako offers them both a wave. 

The female-presenting one (Tanake?) smiles. “This is Akihiko, and I’m Tanake! We’re the Tomo twins.”

_ They know these two as well, somehow. _

_ Tanake Tomo, pronouns she/her, female, 5’8, and the SHSL Mountaineer. _

_ She managed to summit Mount Everest at the young age of 13, and twice after, the third time without any oxygen tanks. _

_ Her goal is to one day summit Olympus Mons, and become the first person to successfully summit a mountain on the Red Planet.  _

_ Akihiko Tomo, pronouns he/they, demimale, 5’10, and the SHSL Corporation Head.  _

_ He made a startup business at the age of 10 as a joke amongst his peers, and yet with clever investments and a few purchases, he became the youngest person to ever reach a net worth of 10 million dollars.  _

_ Their goal is to one day completely eradicate poverty and homelessness, and they hope they can do it permanently.  _

_ Together, these two are the SHSL Twins.  _

“It’s very nice to meet you two,” Tamako offers, and Akihiko nods. “Likewise.”

“Have you two seen anyone else? We’re trying to figure out what happened.” Sayuri asks, and both twins shake their heads. 

“Well, no,” Akihiko says, “But my last memory was at the gates of Hope’s Peak… and then I woke up here, with Tanake.”

Tanake looks at Akihiko strangely. “My last memory is of you saying ‘Are you ready?’ outside of the school gates.”

“I… never said that.” 

“What? I totally remember you doing that!”

“I remember the other stuff, yeah, but you were way behind me when I got to the gates!”

Tanake pushes Akihiko jokingly. “C’mon, don't make things up!”

_ [Truth Bullet Collected:  _ **_Tomo Twins’ Account_ **

_ Their account has minor conflicts, as Tanake seemingly remembers something Akihiko does not. However, both seemingly agree that their memory fades around the time they arrived at Hope’s Peak.] _

“Uh, perhaps we can discuss this later?” Sayuri speaks up. “We could split up and meet back up here, in…” They squint at the sign on the room next to them. “...the Cafeteria?”

“Sure, why not?” Tanake says, shrugging, and Akihiko nods their consent. “That’s fine with me.” 

Tamako gently pulls on Sayuri’s hand. “Uh- we should start looking now, shouldn’t we…?”

Sayuri waves goodbye to the pair, who walk the opposite direction, before looking at Tamako. “What happened?” 

“I- I think I saw someone? That way? We should look for them.” 

Sayuri smiles, holding xeir hand in return. “Then lead the way.” 

Unfortunately, their search is interrupted by the most  _ annoying _ voice Sayuri has ever heard in their  _ life _ coming over the intercom.

“Hello, kids! Everyone, please meet in the Gymnasium! If you don’t know where that is, the lights will show ‘ya! Toodles!”

Tamako looks at Sayuri. “What lights..?”

Suddenly, glowing stripes run along the walls, all going in one direction- presumably, to the gymnasium. 

“I… guess we should go?”

“Sure. Hopefully we’ll get some answers there…”

The pair follows the lights along the walls to the Gymnasium. Or, well, a set of double doors labeled as such. Looking behind them, Sayuri offers Tamako a smile. “Hey, I’m certain we’ll get some answers in here soon.”

“I mean, I- I’d hope so…”

Tamako walks in front of them, attempting to push open the doors. “A- ah, these are pretty heavy… one moment…”

Sayuri waits politely as Tamako finally manages to push them open. 

The Gymnasium is a large room with a stage and podium at one end. There are sets of identical double doors on each wall (barring the side with the stage, of course). The other doors have already been opened, and Sayuri’s face flushes as everyone already inside turns to look at them. 

“A- ah, hello everyone.” 

A person with purple ( _ purple? Alright, then…) _ hair rolls their eyes, rubbing the bridge of their nose. “So  _ there’s  _ our final two. You almost missed introductions, but Akihiko wouldn’t stop telling us to  _ wait. _ It was getting rather annoying.” They look at Sayuri with disdain, before looking over at Tamako. “Besides, I-” Their words falter, and they turn away. “Whatever. It’s… fine. Just don’t do it next time.” 

Tamako fidgets for a moment, before speaking up. “Ah- what’s your name?” 

“My name is Kaiyo Leiko. I am the SHSL Actor. It’s… nice to meet you, I guess.” 

_ How come they can remember…? _

_ Kaiyo Leiko, pronouns he/him, male, 5’6, and the SHSL Actor.  _

_ He’s one of the only SHSLs to successfully claim two titles- he was previously known as the SHSL Actress before he came out as trans. Also, he’s versatile in that he willingly plays both female and male roles, which was a hot topic for quite a while. _

_ He is stuck-up at times, but sources state that he can be quite amicable if he is so inclined. He is also rather easily flustered.  _

Sayuri blinks. 

_ He’s… another SHSL? _

_ Then… I’m… fairly certain… this is…! _

“...oh, and this is Sayuri Suki. They… don’t quite remember if they have an SHSL Talent at the moment.” Tamako introduces them as they slowly come out of their thoughts.

Kaiyo looks them over once. “Hmm. Alright then. That shouldn’t be an issue.”

“I certainly hope not.” they reply evenly. 

They turn to everyone else, who seem to be talking amongst themselves, before walking over to the stage and pulling themself up onto it (ah. There were stairs. That was a worthless endeavor, then.). They clap their hands together, and the room goes quiet. “Ah- Perhaps we should introduce ourselves to everyone instead of going around individually? It would save time.”

There are murmurs of agreement, and Sayuri starts. “My name is Sayuri Suki, and unlike most people here I’ve met, I am not aware of having a SHSL talent. My pronouns, for your future reference, are they/them.” 

They step off of the stage, and someone with black hair and a lopsided grin gets onstage. 

“Hey, the name’s Ace Smith. And- uh- he/him pronouns please? And I’m the Ultimate- or I guess you guys call it SHSL- Voyager. Name a continent, country, or town, and I’ve been there.” He chuckled, ruffling his hair, before bringing it down to rest in the brown satchel he carries. “Aaand as you can probably guess, I’m foreign exchange.”

_ Ace Smith… they don’t know him. _

_ That’s a first. _

He switches place with someone else, who begins their own intro. 

“Hey! My name is Kono Osamou! I’m the SHSL Fencer and my pronouns are she/her! I hope we can get along!” Her hand rests on the hilt of her rapier, and when she realizes this, she draws it from it's sheath. “Oh! Don't worry about this! It's just for show. It'd break if I had to  _ actually _ use it.”

_ She’s bubbly. Wow. _

_ Kono… Osamou… they don’t remember her…! _

_ Why can’t they remember now?! _

_ What’s wrong with them? _

And before they know it… 

“I’m Sora Sorano. Not the most creative of names, I know… my pronouns are he/him, and I’m the SHSL Aviator. It’s nice to meet you all.” He adjusts the goggles stop his sand-coloured hair before striding offstage.

_ Another person they can’t remember… they hate this.  _

“As you all know, my name is Kaiyo Leiko, and I am the…”

“...Tamako Kohana…”

“...Akihiko and Tanake Tomo…”

Sayuri zones out through the familiar intros, until someone new arrives onstage.

“My name is Mayumi Noizumi, and I am the SHSL Archer. I am genderfluid, and my preferred pronouns are he/they.” They bow deeply, the unstrung bow on their back somehow managing to stay in place. 

_ Another blank. Perhaps they should just listen to them introduce themselves and do the work for them instead of scouring their empty mind.  _

“My name’s Gin Hana. I’m the SHSL Metalworker- essentially, if you want something made of metal- be it steel, iron, bronze, gallium- though, why you'd want that's beyond me- I’m the person to ask. And my pronouns are they/them.” They cross their arms, before walking offstage as well.

_ Perhaps that truly is the best course of action.  _

“Hello! My name is Rei Sadao, and I am the SHSL Detective. My pronouns, if you are wondering, are she/her, and I hope that we can all be friends.” 

She flips her chocolate brown hair, her skirt swishing as she strides offstage.

_...Rei Sadao…  _

“Heyo! I’m Umi Tame, the SHSL Diver! I’m a girl, so she/her is good for me!” Umi adjusts the scuba goggles hanging from her neck, grins, and then walks offstage.

_ Umi Tame…  _

“Aha, hello! My name is Anka Ayaka, and I am the SHSL Painter! It is truly a pleasure to meet you all~! Ah- and my pronouns are she/her!” 

She smiles, inclining her head slightly, before wiping her hands on her pants absentmindedly, walking offstage as she does so.

_ Anka Ayaka…  _

“My name’s Aimi Akia, and I’m the SHSL Lead Singer. I- I go by she/her, by the way. Just so you’re aware.” She gives a small smile, before walking offstage.

_ Aimi Akia… the name seems somewhat familiar, but they can’t quite place it…  _

“Greetings! My name is Ena Amida, and I am the SHSL Mediator! My pronouns are she/they!” Ena smiles brightly, her twin braids of white hair hanging in front of her shoulders, swishing slightly. “I hope I won't have to use my talent very much while we are here!”

_ Ena… wait, aren’t they the one that stopped that war from breaking out? _

_ Wait, how do I even know about that war?! _

“Hey’all, m’ name’s Fujita Ezume, and I’m the SHSL Farmer. You need help sowing, harvesting, just talking about crops, whatever, gimme a shout, alrighty?” And m’ pronouns are they/them.” 

Fujita’s voice is thickly accented, but it doesn't faze anyone. Well. They think so, anyways.

_ Fujita Ezume? They remember them from somewhere, at least. Perhaps their mind isn’t so useless.  _

* * *

Their musings are interrupted suddenly by a voice- the same one that came from the speakers before, actually. 

Except this time, it isn’t. 

“Well, now that you’ve all been- ugh, move _ over-“ _

Fujita turns to look behind them, flinching slightly as they discover the sound of the noise, before being pushed aside by a… 

Teddy bear? 

“Howdy kiddos! The name’s Monokuma, and I’m your Headmaster this school year!” 

“Ah-“ Ena speaks up. “Monokuma, yes? I… do not believe that is accurate. You appear to be a teddy bear, n-” 

“I’m no teddy bear! I’m Monoooooooookuma!!” The teddy bear seems rather eager to drive this point home. 

“Mmm. Alright. Monokuma, you must understand that this is a rather blatant subversion of our expectations, correct? Perhaps we shall require a few moments to adjust?” Well, they don’t call her the SHSL Mediator for nothing… 

“Hmm, alrighty then!” There is a moment of pause, and then- “Tiiiiiiiime’s up!” 

“Er- alright, then… Monokuma, is there anything you, as the headmaster of this illustrious academy, would like to tell us?” 

“Yuppers! You’ll all be living here together.” 

“And, pray tell, how long will that be?” 

“Ah, not too long! Only… the rest of your lives!” 

_ What.  _

_ I… can’t process this…! What does Monokuma mean, ‘the rest of your lives’?  _

_ Does… that mean…? _

_ Forever? _

“Corrrrrrrrect!” 

_ I said that out loud?! _

“B- but that’s not- it’s inhumane!” they protest, and the dissent from their classmates only furthers their complaints.

“Humane, shumane, I don’t care!” Monokuma yells, before pausing. “Well, unless you want to hear the graduation clause?” 

Sayuri perks up. “Graduation..?” 

“Yup! If you complete it successfully, you can go!” 

“What is it, then?” 

“To leave, you must kill someone, and get away with it without anyone knowing it was you!” 

The temperature seems to drop several degrees. 

“Kill someone?!” they exclaim.

“Well, yeah. And get away with it.” 

“But- but  _ why?!” _

Monokuma snickers. “Well, to kill someone is to kill someone, and that’s the end of it. And hey, I’ll even give you a bonus- if you can kill someone and make sure the body isn’t discovered for three days, you get off without a trial! Unless there’s evidence pointing to you being the culprit, I mean. Then it simply wouldn’t be fair.” 

“But-“ 

“Hey, it’s your choice, kiddo. Kill, or don’t. It’s that simple! Of course, the longer it takes, the more time someone has to think of a way to kill you.” 

“I-!”

There’s a sudden jolt. “What was that?!” someone (Umi?) yelps, and the doors swing open of their own accord. 

“To get you guys adjusted, get ready! It’s our first Class Trial!” 

The first thing Sayuri notices is that this is  _ not  _ where they entered from. 

In fact, it looks like… a courtroom? 

But why would they need a courtroom?

“Find the podium with your name on it, and don’t be tardy~” Monokuma trills, and they begrudgingly do so. 

“Why should we?” 

_ What?  _

“Why should we comply? What  _ incentive,”  _ Kaiyo huffs, “do we have to do as you demand?” 

“I could kill you right now,” Monokuma offers, a near-sadistic tone in his voice. 

“You couldn’t if you tried.” Kaiyo says. 

That is, until a spear is hanging suspended a few inches away from his chest a moment later. 

“I totally could!” Monokuma grins. 

“I- point made.” Kaiyo murmurs, looking  _ extremely _ uncomfortable. 

_ To be fair, if I almost died, I would be uncomfortable too…  _

Kaiyo takes his place directly across the room from them. 

“Today’s debate topic: figure out where you are! It’s an easy one, I know, but there’s not a penalty for getting it wrong! Count yourselves lucky.” Monokuma says, lounging across a throne-like chair in a corner of the room. 

* * *

_ [Truth Bullets:  _

**_Tamako’s Account_ **

**_Tomo Twins’ Account_ ** _ ] _

“Ah- I suppose we should begin?” Ena murmurs, then adds, “Perhaps we should state what we know.” 

“I lost my memories of my life before I came here. It… took longer than it should have to remember my name.” Sayuri admits. 

“For all we know, that could be a lie.” Kaiyo says, with a frown. “You could be bluffing to your own advantage.” 

“What point would there be if we didn’t know about this- this- this situation-“ 

“Killing game,” Monokuma interjects, and Sayuri continues- 

“This killing game before the gym? We didn’t even know about the teddy bear!” 

“Point made.” 

“For what i- it’s worth,” Tamako says, “They didn’t actually say their name until I asked? And then it l- looked like they were having a bit of a crisis trying to remember… we don’t even know if they have a talent, but they probably do because… well, the rest of us do.”

“If we all have talents, then why would we all be here?” Akihiko says, brow slightly furrowed. “I mean,  **what place could manage to get 16 SHSLs in one place other than Hope’s Peak** ?” 

_ I agree with that..!  _

“Akihiko’s right,” Sayuri says, with a nod. “Hope’s Peak is the last place the three people I talked to remember being.” 

“So… does that mean…?” Rei asks.

“It means we’re at Hope’s Peak right now!” Tanake finishes.

“But- why?!” Mayumi exclaims, losing their composure for a moment. “Hope’s Peak?! The illustrious academy for SHSLs? Why a killing game?” 

“Yeah,” Ace agrees, ruffling his black locks absently. “I… didn’t think this was what I signed up for.” 

“Well, time to cast! Your! Votes!” Monokuma says cheerily. “See the tablet in front of you? That is your EHandbook! Pick it up, cast your vote, and don’t lose it! It’s how you keep track of things, like the rules, and also how you access your lockers. Well, not that you’ll actually need those.” 

Sayuri looks down at the tablet resting atop a stand, carefully reaching out and picking it up. The glow of the screen illuminates their face as it lights up with the words “Sayuri Suki”. Slowly, they type in the words “Hope’s Peak Academy”, and press submit. 

They place it down again, hands fiddling with their jacket sleeve a little while they wait. 

“Ding ding ding!!” Monokuma yells. “You alllll got it!!! This is Hope’s Peak! Isn’t it great?” 

“It really isn’t.” Gin mutters, and a few people nod agreement. 

“Oh well, tools will be fools,” Monokuma huffs. “Anyways! Out with you! Back to the gym you go! It’s almost nighttime, and I’ve gotta tell you one more thing!” 

_ [Trial End! Victory!] _

  
They all file out. 

_ What… is this feeling?  _

_ It courses through my veins… it burns in my soul…!  _

_ Is this… hate?  _

_ No. Hate is stronger.  _

_ This is a crushing, dark, dismal defeat.  _

_ This is despair. _

* * *

After riding the elevator-floor up to the main level, Monokuma makes the following announcement. “So! Originally, we planned to group your rooms by biological sex-“ There are a few sighs of relief at the fact they didn’t- “But  _ some _ of you decided you were too good to be a guy or gal at birth! So! They’re not even organized. They’re just together. Your room’s got your name on it, so make sure you’ve got the right one! The keys are inside your rooms, so don’t lose ‘em!” 

Sayuri is out the door before he finishes. 

They are done. 

Done.

Done with today.

Done with… this horrid feeling. 

They want to cry. Genuinely.

But first, they want to find their room. 

It takes a little while of searching, but they find their room next to Fujita and Ena’s, open the door, go in, grab the key from where it is in the bed, and lock the door. 

Safety. 

At last. 

...why is there a camera?! 

Weird… they check if there’s one in the bathroom, and thank  _ God _ there isn't. 

And then the speakers crackle to life. 

_ “It’s now 10 p.m., officially nighttime!! The Cafeteria is off limits at night, so be careful, as other areas are restricted as well!” _

_ You certainly don’t have to tell me twice.  _

Sayuri, not bothering to check their closet, opts to leap into bed. 

They’re instantly asleep.


	2. Chapter 1- A Shot In The Dark: Daily Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first few days at Hope's Peak. 
> 
> [16 Survivors Remaining]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hey!! nobody died :)
> 
> (TW for this chapter: Severed limbs- mentioned but not in detail!)

_ Ugh… where… am I…?  _

_ My head is pounding… my eyelids are heavy…  _

_ I don’t want to get up…  _

_ Ding dong, ding dong!  _

_ “It’s now 7 A.M., and officially morning! Wakey wakey!”  _

They sit up. 

_ My alarm…?  _

_ No… Mono… kuma…  _

_ Agh!  _

_ The killing game! How did I forget?! This isn’t one of those things that comes and goes…  _

Rubbing their eyes, they frown- what do they do next? 

Grab breakfast, probably… the others might be there too… 

_ Yeah, I should do that.  _

Grabbing their keys and eHandbook, they walk over to the closet. 

_ That’s… a lot of the same outfit.  _

_ Uh, alright…  _

Digging through the clothes, they also notice a stack of binders and other such underclothes on the bottom of the closet, and a note on top of them. 

They first pick up the binder, holding it against their chest quizzically. It seems like it’ll fit quite well, which is a great thing, especially if they have an off day. 

Putting it down for now, they pick up the note. 

_ “Different clothes or binder sizes are available upon request! You’ve gotta be comfy to kill your best! -Monokuma”  _

_ Well… at least those who haven’t transitioned will be comfortable…?  _

They pull out a jacket and a uniform, switching their old clothes out for the new pair. They… fit perfectly. 

_ Strange… whatever. I should get going.  _

They open the door, walk out, and lock it, before clutching their eHandbook to their chest and walking into the hallway. 

“Ah! Sayuri! You’re awake!” Kono exclaims from behind them, hand on the hilt of her sword. Sayuri stiffens a little-  _ this is a killing game, so she should maybe just- ah, whatever! It’s not important-  _ and replies. “Yeah. Kinda hard to sleep through that announcement. What are you up to?” 

Kono shrugs. “Breakfast?” She tries. “I’m kinda hungry… I didn’t eat at all since yesterday too…” 

“I think I know where the dining hall is, and we’re probably safer if we go together… should we wait for more people just in case?” they offer, and Kono nods. 

“Heck yeah!” She cheers, pumping a fist in the air. “Let’s do it!” 

After a few minutes of waiting, they are joined by Umi and Rei. “Huh,” Kono says. “We have the AFAB squad out here today, haha.” 

Rei suppresses a snicker. “Didn’t know I was so good at passing,” she says casually. 

Kono does a double-take. “Wait- I- oh! That’s cool! Good job.” She recovers quite quickly. 

“We found the cishet, guys,” Umi whispers loudly, and Sayuri presses a hand to their mouth to keep from laughing. 

“I-“ Kono tries. “I’m not hetero! I’m a lesbian!” 

Umi smirks. “I’m bi!” she trills.

“And thus, the group that did not consist of cishets proceeded to the dining hall,” Rei deadpanned, grabbing Umi’s hand, winking at her, and proceeding to pull a very flustered Umi along with her. 

“We should follow them,” Sayuri says, and Kono nods. “We should.” 

And thus, the group of non-cishets proceeded down the hall. 

* * *

They push open the door to the cafeteria, and are greeted by pristine white tile floors, ebony tables and chairs, and windows. 

_ Windows…!  _

They walk over, holding a hand up to the glass, pressing their face against it, when a hand touches their shoulder. They turn around, perplexed. 

“It's a screen,” Gin says, gesturing to the so-called window. “Look, you can see the pixels.” 

“Ah,” Sayuri says, looking back, and they can in fact see them. “That's not good.”

“Heh, I know, right..? Looks like we won't be getting out of here any time soon. Anyways, I'll be seeing you.” They walk off, leaving Sayuri stunned at the screens. They press their hand against it and sigh. 

_ Maybe it's better this way…?  _

_ No! We've got to get out! I'm not letting some stupid screen stop me, either!  _

Their fingers curl into a fist against the glass.

_ I’m not going to give up, ever! _

_ We’re getting out of here, I swear it! On my life, on my soul, on my identity…! We must live!  _

So, with newfound determination, they turn away from the screen, walking towards one of the chairs and sitting down. 

And then? They waited. 

And waited. 

Waiting, waiting, waiting..! 

They spaced out, and when they tuned back in to reality, there is yelling. Loud-

So-  _ loud- _

“What do you  _ mean,  _ kill you?!” Umi cries, and Mayumi shrugs. 

“My life has just been a tool to me for… quite a while now. I haven’t been happy with it. I would end myself, but I see no point if someone cannot benefit from it. I am but a tool to be used by another. That is what life has taught me.” He replies, and Umi shakes her head furiously. 

“It’s  _ wrong,  _ Mayumi! You- you can’t die! Please! If- if you die- if you’re killed-! Everyone else will give in to temptations!  _ Please stop this!”  _

“I-“ 

Before Mayumi can speak further, Umi grabs him by the hand, pulling him out of the Cafeteria. 

Sayuri blinks. 

Once. 

Twice. 

_ What…?  _

“I… what just…?” they murmur. Kono looks like she’s about to cry. 

“He- he wants to  _ die,  _ Sayuri…! It’s wrong, so wrong, so…” Kono grabs the sides of her head, shaking. “Sayuri-“ she sobs, collapsing to her knees. 

Sayuri stands, nearly tripping over their boots as they run to her side, rubbing her back. “Hey, it’s alright, okay? We’ll get through this.” 

Kono grabs onto their jacket, burying her face in their chest- they blush for a moment before hugging her gently. They sit there for a bit, before Sayuri stands, gently pulling Kono to her feet. 

“Ah- we should grab some food before we investiagte today.” they say, and Kono nods, wiping the tears off her face, clutching Sayuri’s hand tightly now. 

“The- the kitchen’s over there,” she murmurs, pointing with her free hand shakily, and they nod, walking over slowly with Kono in tow. 

_ I think Kono and I grew closer today. _

* * *

The kitchen’s colour scheme is the same as the cafeteria’s. There is a large fridge in a corner with a freezer the same size next to it. Rei is inside as well, looking rather disgruntled. At the sound of the door opening, she turns, surprised. “Oh, hello, you tw- Kono, are you alright?” 

“I’m- I’m fine, Rei,” she says, with a forced smile. Rei frowns, but ultimately chooses to disregard it. 

“Oh! Monokuma came in here earlier. He told me the fridge and freezer restock every morning. I… don’t understand how, but at least we won’t starve?” 

Kono gives a thumbs-up, letting go of Sayuri and walking over to- the knives?! 

“Hey, wai-“ 

Kono picks two up, one in each hand, and then starts muttering, “Parry, feint, block, again, parry, feint, block, again, parry, feint…” With each word, she repeats the action with both hands. 

_ What?  _

_ Fencing with knives…? I guess that’s one way to relieve stress.  _

They decide to leave Kono alone for now, instead heading over to the fridge. 

_ There’s a lot of food in here… even if it wasn’t restocked, we could live for weeks off of this!  _

They pick up a yogurt after a few moments of silent debate. “Kono, do you want anything?” they ask, not bothering to turn around. 

“Uh- if they have cereal that’d be nice?” she says, and Sayuri searches the fridge for some milk, before finding some plates, bowls, and cutlery in a cupboard, and a door leading into the pantry. 

And there’s even more food in there. 

Sayuri grabs the first box they can find, which happens to be some generic brand of cornflakes, before setting everything they’ve acquired in the center of a counter nearby Kono. “I didn’t know how much you wanted, so here. Could you put everything back when you’re done too?” they ask, and Kono, looking up from her knifeplay, nods. “Yeah. Thanks.” 

Sayuri smiles at her before they leave. 

They should wait for everyone to arrive. 

Or… 

Cupping their hands around their mouth, they yell, “Monokuma!” 

The monochromatic bear appears in front of them, holding his paws over his ears. “Geez, kiddo, you don’t gotta yell… what do you want?” 

“Er… you can make announcements, right?” 

“Yeah?  _ And?  _ Spit it out, kiddo.” 

“Could you… tell everyone to meet in the cafeteria? On my request?” They fidget a little. “And, uh- do the glowing lights from earlier? Incase they don’t know about them?” 

Monokuma huffs. “You wanted to waste my time with this? Hmph, fine, but only this once!” He vanishes, again, inexplicably, and Sayuri is only left to wonder if- 

_ “This is an official school announcement- please gather in the Cafeteria upon request of Sayuri Suki. I mean, if you wanna.”  _

_ I guess he did it after all…?  _

So they sit back down, and wait patiently as the rest start to file in. 

First are the ‘early’ ones- Ace, Sora, Kono, and Rei. Next come the ones who are ‘on time’- Umi, Tamako, Mayumi, Gin, Ena, and Fujita. Last are the ones that either could care less, were far away, or simply forgot- like Kaiyo, Akihiko, Aimi, and Anka. 

_ At least everyone turned up?  _

They clear their throat, flushing as everyone turns towards them. “Uh- hi guys. I thought meeting up every morning would be good? So we could all talk, get food… you know, check up on each other…” There is an unspoken ‘and make sure nobody’s dead’ in the sentence, but nobody wants to bring it up. “So, how does that sound to you all?” 

Kaiyo shrugs, before simply saying, “If it’s going to help? Fine. But don't expect me to help you do anything pointless.” And then he proceeds to leave. 

It’s better than him not coming. 

“I will refrain from attending, for I do not care whether I am injured or not,” Mayumi says starting to walk off as well, but Umi clutches their hand. “Mayumi is going to attend,” she says firmly, and Sayuri nods. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” they reply, and then turn to everyone else. “Anyways, if that’s settled, is there anything anyone would like to go over?” 

Ena raises a hand. “Yes! Actually! Ah- we should all read the rules, no? It’d be a shame if we were to break them, after all- I feel Monokuma would not tolerate it well.” 

Sayuri nods. “In the eHandbook, right?” 

“Right!” 

So they open up their handbook, waiting for the screen to light up with their name, and going to the ‘Rules’ tab.

“Okay,” they start. “Rule #1: Students may reside only within the school. Leaving campus is an unacceptable use of time.

“Rule #2: "Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 7 am. Some areas are off-limits at night, so please exercise caution.

“Rule #3: Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.

“Rule #4: With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Hope's Peak Academy at your discretion.

“Rule #5: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras.

“Rule #6: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.

“Rule #7: Additional school regulations may be added if necessary,” they finish. “And… that’s it.” 

“Additional regulations can be added as necessary?” Ace says, sounding uneasy. “That’s- That’s strange- They shouldn’t be allowed to do that.” 

Sora nods, adjusting the goggles atop his head. “Mhm. They could punish us for breaking a rule that wasn’t there before. We should probably check them regularly just in case.” 

Tamako raises xeir hand. “Uh, now that we’re done with that topic, I found something earlier. There are… these rooms labeled as “labs”? It looks like they’re meant for each of us based on talent, too. Er- I- I found mine, and Aimi’s, and Rei’s, but nobody else’s, if you wanna go look?” 

“I mean, we should probably eat food first, if anyone’s hungry.” Ena says, with a small smile. “But that would indeed be appreciated.” 

Tamako shuffles xeir feet for a moment, before Sayuri finally says, “I mean, I can go right now.” Perking up, xey take their hand. “Follow me!” 

After walking down the hall for quite a bit, Tamako gestures to a sign. “This is my lab, that one’s Aimi’s, and that one’s for Rei.” 

“Have you been inside yours yet?” 

“...no,” they admit, a little flushed. “Not yet. Do you wanna go in now then?” 

“Sure,” they nod. “Why not?” 

Tamako opens the door cautiously, before gasping. “Woah…” they whisper. “I… gosh, this is…!” 

Sayuri peeks in. 

Inside are diagrams, books, and sets of various plants. Sayuri, personally, doesn’t understand any of it, but judging by the way their eyes are sparkling, they seem to like it very much. 

“Uh… you have fun with this, okay? I don’t really understand much of this, so I’ll leave you alone for now.” 

Tamako, nodding, picks up a sheet of paper, scrutinizing it eagerly as Sayuri leaves. 

_ I… want to find my lab.  _

_ I need to know what my talent is.  _

_ If I don’t… I may never know who I was before I came here. _

_ And... I’ve gotta find out someday.  _

They pause, taking out their eHandbook and opening the ‘map’ tab. It displays a pixel avatar of them onscreen in their current location. After a few moments, they figure out that they can scroll through a separate section to locate specific sections of the school. 

_ Labs…  _

_ Actor…  _

_ Aviator…  _

They swipe further down. 

_ Metalworker…  _

_ Voyager…  _

And there it was. 

_ Ultimate ???’s Lab.  _

With a shaky breath, they select it, and a path is shown onscreen. 

_ I have to know..!  _

They run down the hallway- sure, it won’t be going anywhere, but they need to know- towards their destination, their footsteps becoming a blur, until finally, they’re there. 

It’s almost at the other end of the school, too. 

_ Must be something special, then?  _

They slowly open the door, breath shaky with anticipation…! 

It’s an empty room. 

White walls. 

White floor. 

There’s nothing. 

Their hope is quickly corrupted by a dark despair. 

There’s…  _ nothing.  _

_ Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing nothing nothing nOTHING NOTHI NGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHING-!  _

It’s- 

They-

They’re on their knees, staring at the wall. 

They don’t have a talent…? 

They… that… failure. 

What a failure.

What a waste. 

Everything cumulates to this? Tragic. 

Perhaps they shouldn’t have tried. 

Staring at the floor numbly, they wonder if they could still have a chance of recalling what their talent is. Was? They’re not sure. 

And amidst that dark, overwhelming despair shone a flickering of hope. 

  
  


They got up at some point. 

They left the room, at some point. 

And as they sat, still stunned in their room, they realize that they should probably rest for right now. 

So, they lay down on their bed, and slept, numb to the world in it’s entirety. 

They might end up regretting that later, but… 

Well, they’re really just a nobody, aren’t they?

* * *

_ Ding dong, ding dong! _

_ “It’s 7AM! Time’s ‘a wasting!”  _

_ I… slept through yesterday…? Why?  _

White from floor to ceiling appears in their mind’s eye. 

_ Oh.  _

_ Guess I slept longer than I thought.  _

They change, and then head to the Cafeteria like planned. 

Rubbing their eyes, they yawn. “Uh… he-“ they start, before Umi, grasping Mayumi’s hand in one of hers, grabs Sayuri and pulls them into a crushing hug. 

“Where were you yesterday? We couldn’t find you anywhere…” she sniffs.

“I was asleep. I… was taking a nap, but I guess I just never woke up.” 

“Wh- why? It was the middle of the day when someone last saw you, right?” 

Sayuri braces themselves for what they have to tell everyone. “About that. I… went to my lab.” 

Sora blinks. “You have one? So you must know what your talent is now, right?” 

“I- there was  _ nothing.”  _

“What do you mean by that?” he presses, crossing his arms. 

“There- it was just white walls and floor. And nothing inside. I… I don’t think that I have a talent…!” 

Umi pats them on the back as they start to shake. “Hey, hey, it’s alright, no need to beat yourself up about it!” 

_ I’m not special…! I don’t even fit in here!  _

_ So why the hell am I in this stupid killing game?  _

Someone hugs them from behind. 

“Hey, we’ve got you…” Kono whispers gently. 

They’re very, very close. Er- not that they care! It’s just- oh, forget it.

“A- anyways, we’re all here, right? Other than Kaiyo?” they say. 

“Yep! We counted.” Umi says, releasing them. 

“Good… er- so what now?” 

“You’re eating! Are you that dense…?” 

“I- what? Okay, fine.” 

So, Sayuri, Umi, and Kono- the dream team, if you will- head to the kitchen, make themselves some food (it did restock, by the way) and proceed to consume it. 

After, they… guess they should talk to someone. 

After walking through the school a little, they stumble across Fujita. 

“What are you up to?” they inquire, and Fujita shrugs. 

“’m tryina figure out how this plate was screwed on,” they reply. “Someone- whoever did it must be pr’tty strong.” 

“It could have been some manner of machinery?” they propose. “Certainly a machine would be able to screw these on, and in such a manner that we cannot truly tell what time it is.” 

“Eh…. That makes sense, actually.” They smile down at Sayuri. 

_ How tall even are they…? I thought I was rather average, but I guess not…  _

_ A- anyways… do I want to hang out with Fujita today?  _

_ Why not? _

“What did you do to get your title? You know, as the SHSL Farmer?” they ask, tilting their head slightly. 

“Whelp, ’s it in it’s simplest terms- ’m technically the SHSL Agriculturalist, but- ‘m havin’ a little difficulty with diction ‘nd stuff, y’know?”

“Fair enough,” they reply. “But still? What’d you do?” 

“Er… improvising with fertilizers at first, I guess… did ya know you can bury organic matter ‘nd utilize it as fertilizer? Learned that when we had a few issues with… ah, nevermind.” 

“Huh. Cool.” Sayuri says. 

They chat for a little longer, exploring at the same time, before parting ways. 

_ I think I got a little closer to Fujita today...  _

* * *

Sayuri does a few more menial things, such as consuming sustenance and the like- 

_ Ding dong, ding dong!  _

_ “It’s 10 PM! That means it’s n- n- n- nnnnnnnnnnighttime! The kitchen’ll be closed shortly, better make your way on outta there!”  _

_ I don’t remember that… perhaps because I was asleep yesterday.  _

Sayuri abandons the room they were searching in, (ignoring the stark white door marked ‘???’ nearby) and head back to their room. 

_ I think… today was a good day. _

The morning announcement chimes through the speakers, and Sayuri groans, rubbing their eyes. 

Their morning routine becomes a bit of a blur, at this point, but eventually they find themselves in the cafeteria, bored. Completely and utterly. 

“S- Sayuri…?” Umi asks. They turn around, lacing their fingers together. 

“What’s up?” 

“Have you seen Mayumi? At… all today?” she asks, and they frown, before shaking their head ‘no’. 

“I haven’t, sorry.” 

“A- ah. That’s alright.” 

“Speaking of missing persons- Tamako, you seem to know where most people are, most of the time, correct?” 

Tamako looks up at them, a little startled, but xey quickly shake xeir head. “Uh- no, actually? I… Kaiyo’s different, is all. His- his room is next to mine so I usually see him every morning… er- I- I’m gonna go to my lab now, so… see you.” 

“Fair enough. Anyways,” they say, standing up, “And, just so you all are aware, I’m gonna go investigate one of the labs, if anyone wants to come with.” 

Aimi shrugs. “I mean… I haven’t seen mine? And I heard that I have one, so I kinda wanna check it out, you know?” 

Sayuri nods. “Then let’s get going, then.” 

  
  


They look around Aimi’s lab- the SHSL Singer’s lab- and blink. It’s… far more expansive than Tamako’s, but that may just be perspective. There are instruments, microphones, and other such things strewn about. Aimi gasps. 

“Woah… this… this is…!” she exclaims, wringing her hands frantically. “It’s- wow.” 

Sayuri does not feel the same way about the room, probably because they have no use for anything in the room. 

But that, again, is a matter of perspective. 

They search the room while Aimi enthuses herself with the various props and tools around the room. There’s nothing much to- 

And then  _ it  _ happens.

* * *

There is a loud shriek, followed swiftly by a  _ “KAIYO!?” _

_ Wha- Tamako?! _

Sayuri bolts out of the room, running as their steps turn into a blur and the world goes hazy, until finally they find the source of the noise. 

The SHSL Botanist’s Lab. 

The door is ajar, and without a second thought, Sayuri rushes in…

...only to be greeted by the sight of severed limbs and blood. Blood everywhere. 

They feel  _ sick. _

They dully register Kaiyo’s limp form on the ground, and Tamako, who is trying to muffle xeir sobs. 

_ Mayumi…? Could this be them…? _

“What…?” 

_ “Ding dong, ding dong…”  _ The speakers crackle to life, Monokuma’s voice buzzing out of them like an annoying horde of wasps.  _ “A body has been discovered! Please report to the SHSL Botanist’s Lab!” _

Near instantly, Aimi rushes in, directly behind them. 

They’re followed by the rest of the group, and Sayuri is still trying not to retch all over the floor…!

It’s a blur.

Mayumi…

Mayumi is dead.

Even if they had asked for it… 

They had never deserved this. 

Umi was making progress with them too, and Sayuri knew that, because they had seemed far happier in the past few days- they swore he’d even blushed a few times too…! 

And yet, in the end, they were still… 

Gone.

Their hope that everyone would agree to live together peacefully…

It had been reduced to deep, dark, despair.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel.

It was hopeless. 

And so, the true despair began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually wanted the deceased to live longer but the character randomizer is cruel.   
> Also, is Kaiyo dead? Hmm? Hmmmmmm? You'll never know.   
> This chapter is also unedited because I wanted to post this. I've been waiting. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave theories in the comments! You think you know who the mastermind is? Tell me! Got an idea for a murder? Show me that, too! And (god forbid) if you want to show me fanart, I more than welcome it!  
> You can even tell me who your favorite characters are! Come on, I know you want to.


End file.
